Opinion: Does Unpredictability Hurt UFC’s Mainstream Appeal?

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.*** Tyron Woodley’s first-round knockout of Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 made him the seventh new Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder in less than a year. As someone who was considered undeserving of a title shot, Woodley adds his name to a growing list of underdogs who have emphatically proved the naysayers wrong. Does this recent string of title changes and unpredictability bode well for the UFC in the long run? Sure, it’s fun to see that anybody can beat a world champion on any given night; and that hasn’t been clearer than in the past year, as world champions have fallen at a frightening rate against opponents that few thought could usurp them. However, is there any such thing as an “upset” anymore considering how frequently titles have been changing hands? Do the titles mean much of anything anymore considering that nobody can hang on to them long enough to establish themselves as true champions? What we love about mixed martial arts can also be its biggest detriment: unpredictability. MMA has always had an element of unpredictability that has appealed to fight fans. However, the revolving door of champions has made it difficult for the sport to build stars; and stars are what drive sports into the mainstream because average fans don’t have time to dissect every weight class and fighter. They want their stars force fed to them so they don’t have to do …

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